Castle Torrejano in Bury St Edmunds – Reviewed

We are very lucky to have this Portugese owned cafe and market in our town which serves fresh food, pastries and snacks for the local expat community and those lucky enough to have discovered it. A bit of a hidden gem, not helped by its position around the side of Angel Hill out of the sight line of people coming down Abbeygate St towards the Abbey Gardens, Torrejano is incredibly welcoming. It was busy with families eating together when we arrived (3pm) with a chiller cabinet packed with unusual and fresh baked deli items, cakes and pastries. The deservedly famous Pasteis De Nata (Portugese Custard Tarts) were piled onto stands with a choice of cinnamon topping or not- this was initially what lured us here.

As per usual ended up ordering far more than we could eat for take out- the custard tarts and a slice of Torta De Naranja; eggy and heady with an orange syrup soaked semolina filling, resembling an exotic Swiss Roll. Also for sale were coconut stuffed and topped pillowy yeast raised buns, empanadas filled with meats and salt cod (bacalao) and more syrup and sugar drenched pastries that resembled baklava, being layered, pleated and folded like edible origami. They do tend to sell out pretty fast and the only reason we got them was because they had just completed a second baking session as it was the weekend.

Go downstairs to find a mini market of Portugese products including white port at £17 a bottle and tawny port around £12 stored next to great metal vats of olive oil floridly patterned in reds and oranges. There are boxes of farina flavoured with Banana for babies and other Portugese cereals and jars of pimenton dulce and other local spices and herbs that would make great gifts for food loving friends. Most interesting were the freezers packed with whole sides of bacalao and packs of freshly made salt cod Fritters (we bought these), boxes of sardines, fresh scallops, clams and prawns plus all manner of prepared caldo’s and other stews. The counter assistant gave us plenty of ideas and advice about frying the fritters- much appreciated.

We hope the residents of Bury St Edmunds make the most of CastleTorrejano. It is refreshing to find something a little different so instead of buying your Pasteis De Nata from the chain bakery up the road (Patisserie Valerie) why not buy the real thing made by those who have grown up making (and eating) them?